■6-<j- r ' P ^ ^ AFRICANS MOVED AT OUX-POIXT Removals Conducted As Full-Scale Military Operation HNORTHERN EDITIONWRegistered at G.P.O. as a Newspaper JOHANNESBURG.—IN ITS SURPRISE DESCENT ON SOPHIATOWN ON FEB­ RUARY 9 AND AGAIN LAST TUESDAY THE NATIONALIST GOVERNMENT Vol. I, No. 17 THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 1955 PRICE 3d. MOVED THE FIRST FAMILIES TO MEADOWLANDS—AT GUN-POINT. BE­ FORE DAWN ON THE 9th, OPERATION GHETTO ROUND-UP STARTED, AS 2,000 POLICE AND THE ARMY CARRIED OUT THEIR SOPHIATOWN MILITARY Op e r a t i o n , t h e i r t a r g e t ?— a f e w h u n d r e d Af r i c a n f a m i l i e s . Such a show of force has probably never been seen before in longer in evidence, and the police South Africa. Not only was Sophiatown thick with armed police relied on their rifles—stacked in drawn from many spots along the Reef, but on the evening of the neat triangles at more than one removal Orlando Power Station was heavily guarded, and armed shop comer—and on assegais and police guards were stationed at intervals all along the route from knobkerries (for the African con­ Sophiatown to Orlando and through Newclare, past the cemetery stables). and along the main Reef road running past Orlando to guard every Eighty-six military trucks moved MORE cross-road and briilge. All this, no doubt, to act as a fitting back­ the families, and at 4 a.m. trucks ground to Minister Swart’s nightmare spine-chillers in the House. filled with police rumbled into the Just before Tuesday’s invasion (again, as was expected, a “sur­ township and took up position at PICTURES prise” move) 33 A.N.C. volunteers, led by Robert Resha, were their temporary military camp. The arrested when they were helping residents who had been served with police formed into units and then removal notices. marched to their posts at all the CENTRE The first manoeuvre on the 9th stationed at every street corner up street corners and cordoned off the had been carefully rehearsed. A and down Sophiatown. Army signal houses to be cleared. small military camp was set up in groups were stationed at intervals An official of the Native Resettle­ PAGES Toby Street, near Dr. Xuma’s in the township, and radio-com­ ment Board marched into the house. A strong cordon was thrown munication apparatus on a military homes of families on his list, with round the yards of the properties jeep conducted operations. the police standing close at hand. Forced on to an army lorry, wifli all his possessions, an ‘evacuee from which the families were to Kept ready were Sten guns and “Are you so-and-so?” he would ask. gives the Afrika salute. be moved and groups of police were Bren guns. Later these were no If they answered to their names he would say—“Get your stuff to­ gether,” and then hand over to the police. Under the guns the families were methodically loaded, with all PUBLIC MISLED OVER their possessions, on to the mili­ tary trucks, and next to each driver travelled a European con­ stable with rifle in his hand and an African constable. “ALL GATHERINGS” BAN First warning of the removal reached Sophiatown late on Tues­ day evening just after the announce­ ment of the banning of all gather­ ings by the Minister of Justice. “WE WILL NOT MOVE Interview With Police Brigadier Rather than be forcibly moved to VOLUNTARILY FROM OUR Meadowlands, and anticipating the HOMES” is the slogan issued From RUTH FIRST commando tactics of the police, in a leaflet from the African JOHANNESBURG.—^The Government and police have completely misled the public about 40 families included in the first batch to be moved left their National Congress, the Trans­ on the 20-day ban on gatherings decreed in Johannesburg and Roodepoort. A blanket ban vaal Indian Congress, the Con­ homes and took refuge in the cor­ on all gatherings of over 12 persons was ordered, this to include gatherings outside and ridors of St. Cyprian’s Mission gress of Democrats and the School. South African Coloured indoors, and this on the basis of a police interpretation of the law which turns out to be People's Organisation. A blinding storm burst over the incorrect. The police have based their authority on a phrase quoted from the Act, but this township that evening, and volun­ The Government has forcibly phrase was abolished last year, when the Act was amended. One million people have been teers of the African National Con­ removed the first Sophiatown gress, many of them stripped to the victims of Apartheid, says the subjected to police rule since February 8, and this against the law. waist, worked right through the leaflet. “But all the force of ’ , , assemblies of more than 12 people night in the torrential rain to carry Stiydom’s Government — its f |NLY gatherings in public places (streets, roads, squares, parks, in the magisterial districts of Johan­ furniture and possessions of these police force, its army, its laws passages, recreation grounds, or open spaces) are covered by the ban, nesburg and Roodepoort. families to the mission. Lorries and —had to be called out to do it. carts were hard to come by at this yet the police have made the public ask permission for every type of The proclamation was made in last minute, but Congressmen Sophiatown is in a state of gathering, from church services to cinema shows and birthday parties. siege. The police patrol every terms of subsection 4, section 1 of carried furniture on their heads and street, search cars; browbeat the the Riotous Assemblies and Crim­ backs, working tirelessly up to the inhabitants and arrest. Gather­ When New Age telephoned the enough to contest it the Minister inal Law Amendment Act. no. 27 of moment the armed police moved in. Assistant - Commissioner of Police, could take steps to pass a new law 1914, as amended. Some of the families were even ings have been banned for 20 prepared to camp in a corridor days. This is the only way they Brigadier M. P. H. Coetzee, for an in regard to bans on gatherings in explanation he frankly admitted that buildings and even private houses. Then banning notices were plas­ rather than agree to the removal know to drive us from this area, tered up in Sophiatown and at pub­ scheme. to a location with a wire fence the police were relying on wording* in the Act abolished last year. Immediately on his return from lic places in the city centre, and All Sophiatown — indeed, the all around, with permit regula­ the London Commonwealth Confer­ were sent to all police stations. tions and superintendents and He went on to explain: “In the Africans throughout Johannesburg ence Minister Swart banned by a —are seething with indignation at influx control officials. past,” he said, “Natives went off special proclamation all public (Continued on page 8) public places into churches and the forced removals. “Citizens! Stand firm! There had meetings,” and when the is no need for dismay! These police appeared “they had Bibles events have shown the whole in their hands.” world how apartheid needs For that reason this present ban armed force to rob us of our was to include all gatherings. homes, our liberties and our Brigadier Coetzee made it clear properties. The Government he was not worried about “bona has shown its fear of our spirit fide” gatherings. In fact he was not of resistance. They have shown taking much notice of the ban now. thelrwealoiess. They know that It was three days old (this was last w ill not easily ^iihp|it. They Friday) and had served its purpose. have*~'yeT'to~Teani that armed “I don’t even want to talk about force will not destroy our this ban.” Sufficient had been done courage! to let the public know that cinema “We fight for justice, and for performances, church services, sport the rights of all our fellow gatherings and other bona fide Africans. We will not betray gatherings were being permitted. our people and the struggle for “That should be sufficient ♦ for liberation. Citizens! Prepare them.” for greater resistance; ~TSenour “OLD WORDING” slogans iftsplre ISIT "our neigh­ When I suggested that this inter­ bours — WE A R E N O T pretation of the ban could be con­ tested, Brigadier Coetzee agreed. MOVING.” “We’re following the old wording,” he said. If anyone w'ere Symbols of the poUce state—police army occupies Sophiatown, First Step Forward The light of freedom in front of EDITORIAL NEW ACE them, about 40 salt factory work­ ers of the South African Alkali Co., Ltd., near Hamanskraal, dealt a severe blow to the em­ ployers when they went out on a NO VICTORY FOR LETTER BOX day’s strike, demanding higher wages and better conditions. Although they omitted the de­ Intolerable Birth of a Hew Branch mand for their annual leave, they succeeded in winning their VERWOERD We are oppressed in every re­ Members of the C.I.D. (Poli­ struggle. spect, and we are not supposed to tical Branch) visited the homes and Their previous wage was £2 10s. object. places of occupation in the East­ to £3 in a five-week month. In ad­ J^AST week Verwoerd sent an army of 2,000 armed men to in­ The poor residents of the West­ ern Transvaal of Messrs. E.